Israel-Palestine peace talks have been suspended since 2014. Israel and the P.A. will not themselves be invited in the meeting, whose aim is to agree upon a framework to get them back to the negotiation table.
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Ayrault said France would continue to pursue the initiative and that its ultimate goal was for both sides to return to direct talks, with worldwide intervention laying the groundwork.
There is no hope for conflict resolution if this remains the attitude of one of the main participants of the Israel-Palestine peace process.
The gathering of ministers is set to include the Middle East Quartet – which comprises the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations – the Arab League, the U.N. Security Council and about 20 countries, without Israeli or Palestinian participation.
Hamas, which since 2007 has governed the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip, is regarded by the Jewish state as a “terrorist” group.
Palestinians also marched in several cities in the occupied West Bank.
Netanyahu on Sunday reiterated his opposition to indirect peace attempts, blaming the Palestinians for rejecting direct talks.
Gershon Baskin, who has acted as a conduit between the Netanyahu government and Palestinian leadership, told JTA Monday that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas offered three times to begin secret, direct negotiations with Netanyahu.
“They (Palestinians) simply avoid negotiating with us as part of their desire to avoid resolving the root of the conflict, which is recognizing the national state of the Jewish People, the State of Israel”.
“We raise this here because it must be understood what our problem with Iran is”, he said.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault had proposed May 30 for the talks, but U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is not available on that date, Hollande told Europe 1 radio.
“We wish France and its efforts success because the French efforts are the only ones on the ground now, and could eventually result in giving the political process a good push forward at this stage”, Malki said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Ayrault that he remained opposed to the initiative.
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France is rightly describing its peace move as a first step towards defusing the “powder-keg” threatening to explode in the Middle-East with Israel persisting with its repressive and expansionist policies.
